Oxide Sintered Body for Sputtering Target Stability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing oxide sintered bodies used for thin-film transistors (TFTs) face issues with strength, stability, and electrical performance due to thermal stress and abnormal electrical discharges during sputtering, leading to defects and reduced TFT performance.
Innovation Solution
An oxide sintered body comprising In, Zn, and Y elements with specific atomic ratios and phases, such as bixbyite and pyrochlore, is developed to achieve high density and stability, preventing microcracks and electrical discharges, and enhancing TFT performance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If an oxide sintered body with Y2SnO7 and ZnO compounds is used as a sputtering target, then the volume resistivity is reduced and density is increased, but the strength decreases causing cracks and chips during manufacturing and sputtering
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the compositional parameters by specifying precise atomic ratio ranges for Y (0.03-0.25), Zn (0.01-0.25), and Sn (0.03-0.30) relative to In, and controls the sintering temperature parameter (1073-1673 K) to achieve the optimal balance between density and strength. This parameter optimization resolves the contradiction by finding the sweet spot where electrical performance is improved without compromising mechanical integrity
Solution Approach 2:
The invention creates a composite oxide sintered body containing multiple compounds (In2O3, Y2SnO7, ZnO, and In-Zn-O compounds) with complementary properties. The composite structure allows the Y2SnO7 to reduce volume resistivity while the In2O3 matrix and optimized phase distribution maintain mechanical strength, preventing the cracking and chipping issues observed in previous single-phase or less-optimized composite materials
2Ease of manufacture
If a sputtering target with low strength is used, then manufacturing is easier, but the target cracks or chips during manufacture and sputtering, reducing manufacturing yield
Solution Approach 1:
The invention optimizes the sintering temperature parameter (1073-1673 K) and holding time (0.5-48 hours) to achieve sufficient strength for handling and sputtering while maintaining ease of manufacture. The controlled sintering parameters ensure the target can withstand manufacturing processes without cracking, thereby improving manufacturing yield without sacrificing processability
3Productivity
If high power sputtering is used to improve deposition rate, then productivity increases, but the sintered body cracks due to thermal stress
Solution Approach 1:
The composite oxide structure with In2O3 matrix, Y2SnO7 phase, and ZnO compounds provides enhanced thermal stress resistance through phase distribution and grain boundary effects. This allows the sputtering target to withstand high power deposition conditions without cracking, enabling high productivity through faster deposition rates while maintaining target integrity
Solution Approach 2:
The optimized compositional parameters (Y: 0.03-0.25, Zn: 0.01-0.25, Sn: 0.03-0.30 atomic ratios) and sintering parameters create a microstructure with improved thermal conductivity and stress distribution. This enables the target to handle high power sputtering conditions that increase productivity without causing thermal stress cracking
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The proposed sintered body ensures stable sputtering conditions, reduces defects, and improves TFT performance by maintaining high mobility and stability, even under high power sputtering conditions.
Implementation Method 1
a sputtering method of sputtering a sputtering target is preferably used
Data Source
AI summary
An oxide sintered body is characterized in that it comprises an oxide including an In element, a Zn element, a Sn element and a Y element and that a sintered body density is equal to or more than 100.00% of a theoretical density.